Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?
in Health ·
Since I’m already here, I might as well share my own story. 🙂
I’ve had my septum repaired twice—not for looks, but because I actually needed to breathe.
The first time happened back in first grade after a skiing accident where I slammed face-first into a friend's back.
The procedure took place at a local hospital. They gave me general anesthesia, but honestly, they overdid it; it slowed my breathing down and made the whole surgery way more complicated than it should have been. Everything turned out fine eventually, but the whole ordeal dragged on for four hours.
I spent a week recovering in the hospital. There was no lying down allowed, so I just sat there trying to nap, which was nearly impossible in such an awkward position.
Then came two weeks of recovery at home. Getting those nasal tampons removed was absolutely mortifying. Being a kid, I was being difficult, but it felt like they were pulling my actual brain out through my nose... and the nurse just kept pulling and pulling. It wouldn't stop. 🙂
Between the swelling and the bruising, my face went through every color of the rainbow. I looked significantly worse than a beaten-up Rihanna.
It took a full two months before the swelling finally subsided.
My skin is quite pale—very porcelain—so the bruises and swelling stood out even more, which doesn't help when you're a little kid.
The second surgery happened when I was 17.
The septum hadn't healed straight, and my left nostril was so narrow I could barely breathe. I used to literally feel like I was suffocating in my sleep.
This time, they used local anesthesia. Never again. I could hear and see everything... the drill, the hammer, the rasp they used to grind the septum.
It was incredibly traumatic, made even worse by the fact that the anesthesiologist gave me such a low dose this time. I actually screamed when the scalpel made the incision. I could have sued them, but who thinks about lawsuits in a moment like that?
Recovery was a bit shorter this time, but even now at 24, my nose isn't in great shape. The septum is still growing unevenly toward the left, closing off the nostril, so I might end up needing a third surgery.
On the bright side, all this drama made me develop a massive craving for baby food—purees, fruit pouches, grits, chocolate shakes... anything I could consume through a straw or a spoon. It wasn't an exaggeration; I genuinely needed it.
I hope I haven't scared you all too much.
It’s just my bad luck; I seem to be overly sensitive when it comes to medical procedures. Just last year, I had my wisdom teeth pulled and ended up with an abscess that required surgery.
My dentist told me the odds of that happening were 1 in 1,000, so I guess I should just learn to take it on the chin.
I’ve had my septum repaired twice—not for looks, but because I actually needed to breathe.
The first time happened back in first grade after a skiing accident where I slammed face-first into a friend's back.
The procedure took place at a local hospital. They gave me general anesthesia, but honestly, they overdid it; it slowed my breathing down and made the whole surgery way more complicated than it should have been. Everything turned out fine eventually, but the whole ordeal dragged on for four hours.
I spent a week recovering in the hospital. There was no lying down allowed, so I just sat there trying to nap, which was nearly impossible in such an awkward position.
Then came two weeks of recovery at home. Getting those nasal tampons removed was absolutely mortifying. Being a kid, I was being difficult, but it felt like they were pulling my actual brain out through my nose... and the nurse just kept pulling and pulling. It wouldn't stop. 🙂
Between the swelling and the bruising, my face went through every color of the rainbow. I looked significantly worse than a beaten-up Rihanna.
It took a full two months before the swelling finally subsided.
My skin is quite pale—very porcelain—so the bruises and swelling stood out even more, which doesn't help when you're a little kid.
The second surgery happened when I was 17.
The septum hadn't healed straight, and my left nostril was so narrow I could barely breathe. I used to literally feel like I was suffocating in my sleep.
This time, they used local anesthesia. Never again. I could hear and see everything... the drill, the hammer, the rasp they used to grind the septum.
It was incredibly traumatic, made even worse by the fact that the anesthesiologist gave me such a low dose this time. I actually screamed when the scalpel made the incision. I could have sued them, but who thinks about lawsuits in a moment like that?
Recovery was a bit shorter this time, but even now at 24, my nose isn't in great shape. The septum is still growing unevenly toward the left, closing off the nostril, so I might end up needing a third surgery.
On the bright side, all this drama made me develop a massive craving for baby food—purees, fruit pouches, grits, chocolate shakes... anything I could consume through a straw or a spoon. It wasn't an exaggeration; I genuinely needed it.
I hope I haven't scared you all too much.
It’s just my bad luck; I seem to be overly sensitive when it comes to medical procedures. Just last year, I had my wisdom teeth pulled and ended up with an abscess that required surgery.
My dentist told me the odds of that happening were 1 in 1,000, so I guess I should just learn to take it on the chin.